Sample slides for training on
Code of Conduct
YOUR INSITUTION
Date
“All employees should behave in a
professional manner to customers”
Trainer notes: In preparation for the training,
have participants find a picture that represents
what professional behavior toward customers
means to them. Start the discussion with each
person showing his/her picture.
Review of the key articles of the Code
of Conduct
Trainer notes: Adapt this slide for your
institution, pasting in the articles you want to
address during the training.
What are some cases in which it can
be hard to follow the Code?
Trainer notes:
• Have staff discuss ethical dilemmas, meaning
times when behaving professionally might be
difficult. It can be from their own experience
or stories they’ve heard.
• If possible, have an example or two ready you
can share, to put staff at ease.
• Discuss the dilemmas by asking participants
how the Code can help staff deal with ethical
dilemmas.
Areas of risk – loan sales and collections!
• Most abuses and discrimination happen during
the loan sales and debt collection processes—
these need special attention!
Trainer notes: Ask staff to list the different policies or rules in place that are
designed to ensure clients are treated fairly during sales and collections.
Source: Smart Campaign
Areas of risk – loan sales and collections!
Reminder! International standards in client protection
specify the following:
• Staff shall not force clients to sign contracts, and must
respect clients’ rights to refuse a product.
• Staff shall not persuade clients to avail of particular
product/service because they provide higher
fee/commission unless the product/service is in the
client's best interest.
• Staff shall avoid high pressure or agressive sales
techniques
Trainer notes: Facilitate a discussion on these points. What are the on the
risks of aggressive sales? To the institution? To the client?
Source: Smart Campaign
Forbidden practices in collections
Trainer notes: Paste in the practices that are forbidden in your institution.
According to international standards in client protection, staff are
prohibited from doing any of the following collections behaviors:
•
•
•
•
•
Use abusive language or shout at the client
Use physical force or limit physical freedom
Enter the client’s home uninvited
Publicly humiliate the client
Violate the client’s right to privacy
Are these practices acceptable or
unacceptable? (part 1 of 4)
Trainer notes: Discuss the following questions, by asking, “Are these good or
bad practices?”
1. The institution calls or sends a text message to the
client a few days before the payment is due to remind
him/her of the payment.
2. Loan officers will not disband group meetings until a
full payment from the group is made.
3. The institution hires a collections agency and its
contract with the agency covers only the financial
arrangements, not treatment of clients.
Source: Smart Campaign
Are these practices acceptable or
unacceptable? (part 2 of 4)
4. Staff leads group members in developing a
code of conduct for how they will collect
missed payments from their members.
5. The institution posts lists of those in arrears in
the lobbies of their branch offices.
6. The institution contacts the guarantor whenever
a loan is in arrears over 7 days.
Are these practices acceptable or
unacceptable? (part 3 of 4)
7. The institution contacts neighbors and family
members of a client whenever a loan is in arrears
over 14 days.
8. The institution rewards on-time payment by
providing raffle tickets to clients for each payment
made on time, and then provides prizes to the
winning ticket at least once a quarter.
9. Loan officers visit delinquent clients at their home.
What if the visit is:
a. At 20:00 in the evening?
b. On a holiday/during a family celebration?
c. Every day until payment is made?
Are these practices acceptable or
unacceptable? (part 4 of 4)
10. Loan officers visit delinquent clients at their
place of worship.
11. Loan officers remind clients of the contractual
sanctions for non-repayment, such as an
inability to take out another loan with the
institution, and confiscation of collateral.
Trainer notes: Provide your own practices for loan
officers to discuss.
Role Play
Trainer notes:
• Have 2 people from the staff play the following
roles:
- Andrew, the loan officer
- Tony, the client
• Give them a print out of the Role Play so they
can read and prepare.
• Choose a 3rd person to read the introduction.
PART 1 of the Role Play:
Identifying Acceptable and
Unacceptable Collections Behavior
Set-up:
• Audience: Field staff and branch managers
• Materials: Flip chart/white board and markers
Activity:
• Do the role play.
Questions to the staff:
• What about the reaction by Andrew?
• Make the arguments for both “pro” and “con.”
PART 2 of the Role Play:
Case Study and Role Play for Field Staff
Activity:
• Play the second part with Andrew + a new character, George, Customer Service
officer
Question to the staff:
• Did Andrew react on the best way to solve the repayment problem with Tony?
• What should have been his solution?
• How realistic is this role play?
• How does this example fit with your experience?
• What changes can we make in our institution to ensure fair treatment to clients
during collections?
Trainer Notes for Part 2 of the Role
Play
Trainer notes: Ensure that the staff realizes that a loan officer cannot take
initiatives alone that are not written in the procedures, and that in this case,
he put himself in a difficult situation where HE becomes the bad guy!
Have the staff propose solutions, and ensure that at the end, the best solution
is for Andrew to come back at the office (without the motorcycle!!), to share
the situation with the Customer Service Officer/ Branch manager who will
call Tony to explain that his behavior is not acceptable for FSP ABC and can
delegate the collection to a debt collection officer.
Conclude on the role with some questions: how realistic is this role play? how
does this example fit with your experience? What changes can we make in our
institution to ensure fair treatment to clients during collections?
Reminders of sanctions for noncompliance with collections practices
Trainer notes: Use this slide to paste in the sanctions
associated with non-compliance with the collections
practices
Reminders of sanctions for noncompliance with code of conduct
Trainer notes: Use this slide to paste in the sanctions
associated with non-compliance with the code of conduct
in general
Conclusion
Trainer notes: Conclude the training session by reminding
staff of the Code of Conduct and any specific rules
regarding staff treatment of clients. Link the importance
of treating clients well with the institution’s mission.
Remind them that professional and ethical conduct is also
the best way to attract and retain clients. End the training
by asking participants to write down one thing they will
change now that they’ve gone through the training.